Never Too Late
by Do Not Even Try
Summary: As the flames scorched me from the inside out, all I could do was scream. It was torture to it's highest level. I wanted to die...to reach through my chest and tear out my slowly beating heart. And he wasn't here. I was alone. BxE


**A/n: Everyone is doing it, so I figured I would too. Peer pressure! haha. Here's my--well I won't say my version of Breaking Dawn because I don't know what I want to happen in that book; therefore I have no version. So here is a story that includes Bella getting married to our favorite bronze haired vampire and getting turned. Oh, and Edward coming through on his promise. I really don't think _everything_ stated before (marriage, changing, Edward's side of the promise) will happen in the next book, but I can wish it would. So, here it is. Also, if I got anything inaccurate from the books, please point it out. **

**Disclaimer: Everyone knows I don't own it. My name is most definitely not printed on the cover of any of the superb Twilight books; therefore, I don't own. **

* * *

"What?" 

My hands shook as I looked at my dad. His face was a frightening shade of magenta, and his fists clenched. I couldn't exactly tell if he was having a heart attack, or furious. Just in case, I ran my first aid skills—I had learned them from the short lessons at a Phoenix hospital Renee made me take when I was fifteen—quickly through my head. If someone collapses from a heart attack you were supposed to preform CPR, then use an automated external defibrillator to send a shock so their heart can restart.

My brow furrowed in worry. I didn't exactly carry around automated external defibrillator's in my pocket on a daily basis. What a stupid class! Now if Charlie was in fact having a heart attack, I could do nothing but cry and dial nine-one-one. What else had that lesson said? Fifteen was so long ago, what if I didn't even remember how to perform CPR correctly and killed Charlie?!

My heart rate increased dramatically at that fault, and I focused on remembering the proper way to preform CPR.

"Bella," A velvet smooth voice murmured so low that I knew only I could hear, "are you alright?"

Relief washed through me at an almost nauseating speed. _Edward_ was here. Edward would know exactly what to do, and get it done one hundred times faster than I would.

I felt slightly foolish for overreacting so quickly. But the feeling was quickly overthrown by fear as Charlie—who I realized now was_ not_ going into cardiac arrest—registered exactly what Edward and I had just told him.

I glanced over at Edward quickly. He looked perfectly at ease, even a little amused. We were all three standing in the middle of the living room (Charlie had jumped up from his seat in front of the TV in shock when we told him), but Edward was the only one who looked like he was at a modeling shoot. Especially since a smile kept appearing on his god-like face. I was sure he was hearing Charlie's mind fighting one-on-one combat with his (Edward's) ego. And, once again, I wished that I could hear others thoughts too. Because something Charlie was thinking made Edward grimace in agony, and if I knew Charlie's thoughts, I could defend Edward.

The urge to protect the indestructible still stained my being. It was all so silly; Edward was extremely strong and immortal, he didn't need my protection. Or maybe he did need protecting. He could take care of himself physically, but I always wondered if he could emotional. He was so selfless, that he would tear himself apart inside just to make someone else more comfortable. Not to mention that whole dilemma where he thinks he's a monster with no soul...

"Did...you...say..._married_?!" Charlie sputtered, his face completely taken over by a red hue. I took a deep breath, and Edward suddenly had my hand is his cold one.

"Yes." I said, although it came out as more of a question. A long silence issued. Edward was patient, obviously waiting for his time to cut in. I was waiting for Charlie to explode. Currently, he was just sitting there, staring at me. I strayed away from his probing eyes. I didn't want to see disappointment in them. I didn't want him to see my begrudging attitude to the whole idea, either. Because if I wasn't absolutely certain, he might think Edward forced me into this.

On the subject of marriage, I was adjusting fairly well. I still thought it was absolutely ridiculous—he already had me forever in the first place—but I could humor him. Maybe one day I would understand how two rings made such a difference, then I could thank Edward. But as of right now, I would rather just have him bite me and get it over with. On the other hand, though, the wedding would be the perfect time to see some people I wouldn't be able to ever see again.

That thought made my heart rate rise even more, and I felt as if my lungs were being obstructed.

"Charlie," Edward started. He must have taken my reaction to the words "ever see again" as a reaction to the suspense in waiting for my father to scream. His cold finger caressed the back of my hand, which definitely didn't help me focus.

Charlie looked up to meet Edward polite face.

"I love Bella. And I assume that she loves me," I snorted quietly. If he had to_assume_ after all this time, he's crazy, "so I have asked her to marry me. I know you worry that I will leave her again, but I won't ever. Unless she wishes me to, of course"—he smiled at me—"I learned from my mistake. We will not ever have one of those drastic misunderstandings again. I hope you understand that we've thought this through for a very long time now, and this is the best decision—"

Charlie cut Edward off, "Best decision?" His voice sounded strangled. I took this as a cue to jump in.

"Dad, just because it didn't work out for you and mom doesn't mean it won't for Edward and I. We know each other much better then you and mom did. And I will never love someone like I love Edward."

It was a slightly uncomfortable thing, to talk about how much you love your vampire fiancée in front of your father. I had always expressed how much I adored Edward by carefully treading away from the word.

Charlie pursed his lips together and stared evenly at me.

"Your mother?" He asked sharply. I sighed,

"I'll tell her soon, I promise. I haven't gotten around to it yet. The only other person who knows is Alice." And who ever she had already sent the invitations to, I thought. But I didn't say it out loud. Alice insisted in sending the invitations Friday (it was Sunday now), so Edward and I were forced to tell him before he went to work and found out from someone else. I tried to get her to wait, but she must have been afraid I'd change my mind and run off to Vegas because she sent them out anyway. They probably just arrived yesterday, if at all. Post didn't run on Sundays.

Charlie let out a long sigh, and I knew that the anger was gone for now. He sat back down in his chair.

"Your mother won't like this." He warned me, "this is exactly the thing she doesn't want you doing."

Which was true. The only time my childlike mother had ever sounded like a mother was when she was preaching to me about marriage. This was the last thing she would ever expect me to do. I was going to disappoint her.

"I know," I whispered. Tears were crawling up behind my eyes, threatening to descend. Charlie seemed to notice the emotion lurking behind my words, and fearing an emotional outbreak, he cut in:

"So, are you going to have a wedding...or...eh..." He seemed to give up on talking about the wedding. He looked highly uncomfortable.

Edward, noticing the threat was gone completely now, sat down on the couch and pulled me down beside him. He answered my Dad's unasked questions,

"Yes, we are going to have a wedding. Alice is in charge of the details,"—he smirked—"so naturally she has already sent out invitations. You'll get yours tonight when she comes over. It's going to be on August thirteenth, Bella's idea." He grinned at me.

Charlie raised his eyebrows at me, "August thirteenth?"

"What's wrong with it?"

Charlie just shrugged and said, "Nothing, but it's just kind of strange."

I waited for him to continue.

"Well, it's a Monday. Everyone hates Mondays. Usually weddings are on Saturdays." He explained, "what's so special about that date?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, Dad. I just like it."

"Thirteen is a unlucky number."

"Would you feel better if I got married on the seventh?" I asked, getting irritated.

He ignored me, "most hotels don't even have a floor thirteen."

I glared at him.

"I can get married on the seventh if it really bothers you that bad." I said loudly.

He sighed and shook his head.

"No. I just don't think it makes sense is all," he grumbled underneath his breath.

Silence fell over all of us. Edward seemed perfectly at ease, watching this exchange with my father with great amusement. Or maybe it was whatever my dad was thinking.

Suddenly, he stood up.

"Could you please excuse me for a moment," Edward murmured distractedly as he disappeared into the foyer and out the front door.

Charlie took the opportunity to attack.

"Bella, are you sure about this?"

I nodded once, firmly.

"Yes, dad. I am."

He sighed, "Well, I can't say I didn't see it coming. I guess I should be glad you just didn't run off to Vegas."

I grinned at the irony in that statement. I _wanted_ to run off to Vegas originally.

"Yep. This way you get to dress up in a suit, walk me down an aisle in front of an audience, and dance. Definitely the better choice."

He smiled widely, "I'm gonna miss you, kid."

I smiled weakly in response, trying not to let the guilt and pain consume me right now. He thinks he'll miss me when I leave to live with Edward. Just wait until he sees how much he misses me when he can never see me again.

"I'll miss you too, dad."

Just then, three knocks came from the door. Thinking it was Edward, I stood up and rushed to the door. When I opened it, I was surprised.

Edward was there, yes, along with Alice and Billy Black.

I tried to keep an unaffected face as I smiled, "Hello."

He didn't smiled back. My stomach twisted tightly in worry. Billy was always friendly enough, except when it came to the Cullens. But I thought he was on better terms with Carlisle at least after he helped Jacob...

I broke off the thought. Thinking of Jacob hurt way too much, and now I felt even worse.

With my stomach churning, I glanced at Alice. She was frowning deeply, her darkening gold eyes full of worry. I turned to look at Edward. His face was a composed mask of indifference. I sighed, and led them all through the foyer and into the living room.

When Billy rolled in, Charlie's face broke out in a smile. Then Alice appeared, and his smile got even bigger.

"Billy! Alice! Hey!" He said as he stood up. Alice smiled briefly at Charlie and murmured "hello", before sitting down with Edward. She was staring at him, and he shook his head once. I wondered what she was asking him.

Billy was distraught. He was trying to hide it obviously, but he wasn't succeeding. I could see it in his eyes.

Charlie noticed too, "Is everything okay, Billy?"

He nodded quickly, glancing at me. His eyes met mine, and he seemed to be trying to tell me something. I stared back, confused.

"Yes. How have you been, Charlie?" He turned his attention back to Charlie.

"Fine, I guess. Bella here about gave me a heart attack earlier."

I stiffened; I was sure Billy already knew about the wedding (whether from his son, or his son's friends), but I didn't want to be put on the spot.

"About what?" Billy's eyes were flitting about, as if he was looking for something. I stepped in, hoping to get it over with,

"Edward and I are going to get married." I said quickly. They both looked at me, and Billy didn't even try to seen happy for Charlie's benefit.

"I know."

Of course he knew. But there was something else lurking behind his voice, something that made Edward shift uncomfortably and Alice glare at him.

"How did you know already?" I asked carefully, slowly. Billy's eyes looked at Edward once, then at me,

"We got the invite, of course."

My head spun to Alice so quickly I thought it might have spun off. I told her not to invite them! I told her not to put Jacob through that!

"I didn't," She said softly. Her eyes looked over at Edward. My eyes found his slowly. Before I could read his expression, Billy spoke again.

"Jacob read Edward's letter. And he's gone."

Gone? Gone where? What letter?

"Letter? What letter, Edward?" My voice sounded too sharp.

Edward was about to answer, but Billy was reaching into a bag hanging on the handle of his wheelchair. He handed me an open envelope.

I took it, and I could see Edward was getting annoyed at how Billy kept cutting him off. I shakily opened the envelope, and pulled out the letter. Sure enough, it was Edward's handwriting. I read over it quickly:

_**Jacob,**_

_**I'm breaking the rules by sending you this. She was afraid of hurting you, and she didn't want to make you feel obligated in any way. But I know that, if things had gone the other way, I would have wanted the choice. **_

_**I promise I will take care of her, Jacob. Thank you—for her—for everything.**_

_**Edward**_

I met Edward's eyes, and they were full of guilt.

"What do you mean he left?" I asked Billy sharply, handing him the letter back. His eyes drifted to Charlie, and he chose his words carefully:

"He..._changed_...and took off running through the woods. Embry and Quil tried to follow him, but Sam told them to let him go. He thought he would come back. But...he hasn't yet. And I don't think he will."

Pain was suffocating me. I thought that I was finished hurting Jacob! I thought that he would be okay now! He said he would! What was he going to do? He's not old enough to buy a apartment, and he doesn't have any money with him. He probably doesn't even have any _clothes _with him!

"Sam thinks he going to stay_ changed._"

Charlie looked slightly confused, but I understood completely. Too completely.

The pain on Billy's face reminded me of Jacob's for a second, and I couldn't take it.

Charlie stood up and was talking to Billy about tracing Jacob back, but Alice and Edward were both staring at me. I stood up quickly. The tears were about to claw out from behind my eyes, and I had to get away.

"Dad," My voice sounded strangely uneven. He looked at me, "I'm going to go take a shower and go to bed. Goodbye everyone."

Charlie's voice sounded far, far way as he answered. Everything sounded as if cotton had been wedged in my ears. I ran up the stairs, falling only once. I knew Alice and Edward wouldn't leave. But I needed to be alone. They would probably think I was in my room, and climb through the window to wait. Or Edward would at least.

I ran to my room. I yanked my drawers open. Keeping the tears away hurt. I grabbed a old shirt, and a pair of sweatpants. I forgot to grab my toiletries as I ran from the room.

In the closed, private confines of the bathroom, I felt safe. I stripped out of my clothes blindly, and shoved the bathtub faucet up. I waited until the water was hot. So hot, it made me scream out for a moment, and pushed in the shower button.

I stood underneath the liquid flames, and allowed myself to break down. Sobs shook me, tensing my muscles. The hot, scalding water undid that damage. Salt water leaked out of my eyes, burning them. The hot water soothed that.

But it did nothing for my heart.

Why did it always have to be so hard? Why did I have to let this happen? It was my fault Jacob ran away from his home. My fault he's curled up somewhere in the damp, cold forests of Washington (if he hadn't gotten farther already).

What would happen to Jake? Would he roam the world as a giant wolf, never looking back? Would he eventually forget Jacob Black, and become an animal? Would he never come home to Billy, who needed him?

Would it all be because of _me_?

I was right to think Jacob didn't need an invitation. But I couldn't blame Edward. He did what was right. Jacob would have lost it anyway, but the letter just sent him over the edge.

And I was the reason he was even backed up at the edge of the metaphorical cliff in the first place.

The sobs were gaining momentum, and I hoped they would stop soon. Alice was bound to have seen me crying in the shower, and Edward was probably pacing around my bedroom anxiously. He would hate that he couldn't comfort me.

Suddenly, I heard a voice from outside the dark green shower curtain.

"Bella, are you okay?"

Alice. Of course. Edward wouldn't want to wait for me to cry myself suicidal in the bathroom, so he sent Alice.

But something about her voice made me lose it. She was a friend, someone familiar. She somehow sensed I was about to lose it again, and swiftly reached into the shower and turned the shower off. She wrapped a thick, fluffy yellow towel that definitely didn't come from Charlie's house around me.

She helped me out of the wet, slippery shower and held me while I cried. I didn't cry for long, though, because I was fresh out of tears.

"It isn't your fault, Bella. You can't always feel so guilty about everything."

I sniffed, resting my head on her cold shoulder.

"But Alice, I did this. It's my fault he's left home, and ran away."

She handed me my clothes and I dressed quickly, awaiting her answer.

"He'll come home. His pack brothers can read his mind no matter how far away he is, right? They'll know where he is, and go get him once Billy says the word to the leader."

"How can we know that for sure, Alice? They said they had only tested their mind reading for a certain amount of miles, what if it doesn't work any further? What if they can't find him?"

She helped me stand up, and handed me my robe. I _was_ cold, and felt such appreciation to her. What would I do without a sister like Alice?

She smiled at me,

"I may not be able to see them, but I can tell you that he will come home. And even if he doesn't, he'll be happy wherever he is."

I was sure she was just trying to console me, but I took her words to heart anyway. I hoped Alice was right, that Jacob would be happy. Because he deserved to be the happiest person alive.

"There, now," she kissed my cheek, "all better. Let's go to your room and see Edward before he wears a hole in your bedroom floor from pacing so much."

She giggled, and I followed her into my bedroom. Edward was, as she said and I suspected, pacing back and forth anxiously. He rushed to my side instantly, holding me to him. I breathed in his scent, and felt instantly better.

If I was his heroin, he was my morphine.


End file.
